Judicial marshal injured at court, Norwich man charged

Norwich — A state judicial marshal at Norwich Superior Court sustained minor injuries Monday while trying to detain a man who police said tried to enter the courthouse with a concealed weapon.

The incident occurred at 10:27 a.m. when a man later identified as 28-year-old Ayodeji Ogunbowale tried to enter the courthouse with the weapon. State police, in a written release, did not identify the weapon.

After he was confronted by judicial marshals, police said Ogunbowale became combative and resisted attempts by the marshals to hold him for state police. Ogunbowale fled on foot, police said.

Multiple Norwich officers and state troopers responded to the courthouse. They were later joined by state police riflemen and two state police K-9 teams during a search.

Norwich police located Ogunbowale about a half an hour later in the area of his home at 33 Quarry St., where he was taken into custody and handed over to state police. State police said Ogunbowale directed them to the area of where he had hid the weapon, and it was located with the help of a police dog.

Ogunbowale was charged with carrying a dangerous weapon, interfering with an officer, assault on public safety personnel and breach of peace. He was held in lieu of a $25,000 bond.

The 29-year-old judicial marshal was taken to The William W. Backus Hospital, where he was treated and released.